Hose coupling



HOSE couPLme Filed Feb. 28, 1946 40 INVENTOR.

LUCK/9. A 0MB Patented Feb. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES HOSE COUPLING Lucy A.Lamb, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application February 28, 1946, Seria- No.650,838

4 Claims. (Cl. 285-171) The invention relates to novel and improvedcoupling devices for connecting the free ends of tubular fluidconductors. It is particularly adapted to improvements in couplers forconnecting sections of garden hose in leak-proof relationship.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved coupler ofthe character indicated which is simple and sturdy in construction andwhich can be readily applied and manipulated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedcoupler which is leak-proof, and which will maintain its operativeposition regardless of strains and shocks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupler of the characterindicated, and which has novel and improved means for effectingattachment or permitting separation of the complementary coupler parts.

Other objects and advantages will beapparent from a study of thefollowing specification, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a hose coupler constructed inaccordance with the present invention, attached hose portions beingshown only in part; i

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of the two complementary coupler parts;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the other complementary couplerpart;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, somewhat enlarged, showing the,coupler parts in assembled relationship;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a fragmentary portion of a slightly modifiedclamping yoke.

Before the present invention here illustrated is described in detail, itis to be understood that the invention here involved is not limited tothe details of construction or the specific arrangement of parts hereinillustrated or described, as the invention obviously may take variousforms. It also is to be understood that the phraseology or terminologyherein employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation,the scope of the present invention being defined in the appended claims.

Speaking first generally, the coupler comprises two complementarymembers, namely, a socket member H and a plug 'member I2 which areretained in operative, leak-proof relationship by the interfittingconnection of certain of their parts, and by the gripping effect of anovel clamp- 2 ing yoke, all of which will now be discussed in detail.

The socket II comprises a hollow annular body having at one end aninternally threaded annular flange I4 adapted to receive an externallythreaded end portion l5 of a conventional garden hose or fluid outletconnection.

The plug i2 comprises a hollow annularbody having an exterior thread [9at one end for removably fixed association with the interior thread on ahose connector 20 on the end of a section of garden hose or other fluidconductor. It will of course be understood that the socket ll may carrythe exterior thread, and the plug l2 may carry the interior thread,their positions being interchangeable if convenient or desirable.

The plug and the socket are provided at their respective ends remotefrom the threaded ends as aforesaid with means, now to be described,whereby they may be removably attached to each other in fluidtransmitting relationship, by a simple, lateral engaging movement untilthey are in axial alignment, whereupon a clamping yoke is operated toretain them in connected engagement.

The end of socket I l remote from the threaded portion is internallycounter-bored to provide a transverse shoulder 23 (Figs. 4 and 5) havinga central aperture, around the edge of which is an annular retainingflange 24 which maintains a sealing ring or washer 25 within thecounterbore. The annular outer wall 26 of the counterbore carries a pairof diametrically opposed, longitudinally projecting lugs 21, and, on oneside and between the lugs, a back stop 28, likewise projectinglongitudinally from the outer counterbore wall 26.

The end of plug l2 remote from the threaded portion I9 is provided witha diametrically reduced neck portion 30 having at its free end remotefrom the thread IS an outwardlyextending flange 31 the exterior diameterof which is sufiiciently reduced to permit it to slide laterally betweenlugs 27 and against back stop 28. When in this position the fluidapertures in socket II and plug I2 are coaxial, and flange 3! rests onsealing washer 25.

Lugs 21 are provided with a pair of diametri cally aligned apertures 33.Rotatably carried adjacent the inner opposed faces of lugs 21, andhaving pivot portions 32' journaled in apertures 33, are a pair of cams34 carried on the respectively opposed ends of a bifurcated clampingyoke 35. "If desired, of course, the apertures may be'in the camsand thepivot portions may be pivot pinsfiingthe lug ap ei3tures--33. r'Ihegygia er o d cm re s onrm th i'i ute 1 .364

7 yqket 'eineg ro ded w th.impa r fa enerallrss afiixed to the lugs, thestructure being more specifically described hereinafter.

When the plug member I2 has been placed in position as aforesaid withits flange 3| between 'lugs 21 and against stop 28, and with its transverse outer annular face 36 in loose contact with washer 25, the cams 34lie within the annular space surrounding the neck 39. It will beapparent, therefore that rotation of cams will contactwiththe'transverse annular'face 38 of 'fiange 3| so as to bind saidflange tightly against, the sealingfwasher and permit passage of fluidunder pressure, through the aligned plug'fzalflidii. socket bores. v U

Both'of the cams 34 are simultaneously'moved into and out of contactwithj fian eZettflbyi thdi: aforesaid generally U-shaped clamping yoke35. The ends of the generally parallel legs Mof theafdresaidi camssflts.Thispermits the legs M! to lie outwardly along hose connector 26 (Figillwhile the ilegiendsl andc ams lie within lugs-i 1a In theembodimento=the elaimpirigwoke'shown inithedr'awin'gs, each cam -portionby'i weldin'g =orotherw1se= attaehing zto a -laterak= face thereof anadditional metal mernbersM ni lapped relationship with tlrebam; as test=seen for example'firi-F-ige5a In the-embodiment of the fEeeted-b'y-reversely bend-irig the overlappin 1 4 a e V V 0111 'eachfof {calms33 of the ltig The yoke-isjpreferablyoonstructdd of strip metal oflspr-inglikecharacteristics; the 7 legs: =beirig -biased out-wardly so"as to; ,maintainsnrfacesto-clear =the-pinsfromthe-apertures! It will-jbeobvi-ous 'that *hose sectionsgprovidedL. with'pmgs' and-socketsas-hereinabove described; may -be--united-in'--not more than a second..0rhtWo, with no troublesome screwing operations'jtolbe performed whichwould-entailmecessary1match: s f0 :'s eW;threa;ds; perh psn:JQQatiDnssQmea what difficult,yto conveniently reac The cam operatinglever ,is ddnggenpughfito cien-ty binding force; yet in; 1 working;p'9siti 6n it} lies; so; snugly against, theihosetor ,flfiid--out1et,:that .itJisnot likely ,to 'bejaccidentally.,dis1odged.g It -mut u aertqod.rmmamexaminationrotthef.

disposed, .to the It cam;v portions -.in-,.-. suchgmanner 1 thatwhen'the couplings are held 'in tig-ht conm tactthe lever arm; lies,alongathehhosetas ,pre-v qu yt e cr' 1; 7 i

What I claimis'zi, r

1. 1 Ahoseconnector, comprising ;a 'pain;of;-ico1n plementary couplingmemberag each such "mom bera havin an ,axialg bore saidgmembers sbeinggadapted to berplacedLin,interfittingfarrangement;

transmitting re1ationship;. one, Sari-(1?; memben; having aflixedthereto a pair of opposedelugs thee otherjsaid-rmember havingaitransverse shoulder disposable between1said lugs when, the parts areof .,,u;-,shapedgcontou carriedaby -saidelu sesaid-i para lelrl s ch avne a an v its Eextremi m:

p s' ahponnectiqnewithraaes ettiretlus; that n r i hssaid-i s having acamspgrtion e so, that. their; respective bores are aligned-in fluid hinterfitanaatteneemen a 5 member having an inward ofiset near its freeend to place the portion beyond the offset Within and between said lugs,and on the opposite side of said pivotal connection from said camportions.

'2., Ah o,se connector comprisingapair of combringthei-raisied portions31 of'th'e cams into 10 ple nentary-igcoupling members, each-such memherhaving" an axial bore, said members being adapted to be placed ininterfitting arrangement so that their respective bores are aligned influid transmitting relationship, one said member ldhaving affixedthereto a pair of opposed lugs yoke have an inward ofiset 4| terminatingin the said lugs, said yoke being providedwith a pairof}generallyparallel legs each -h'aving; near --its extremity;a-pivotalconneetion=with a'respective lug,'-"theatip--end3 of eacirsaid leg'having a cam pqrtion en fi fib le with -said transverseshoulderreinforced? twhereby-rotation-ofsaid cams by pivotalmoveirivention shown -in 6;?tlie reinforcement of "*withimand-betweerisaid lugsyandon the opposite s the-cam tipextreme ends or tneyoke,legs-'4il toiproduce'anfi sid or said pivota-l connection from"said cam portions,-- each-l said =cam portion beingprovided pl'ernentayfcouplin-g' membersg eachsuch mem ber h'aviiig an axial-boreg said{members I being adapted to be Placed in interfittingjarrangementhavingaffixed-thereto a'pair" of opposed lugs the other said member haying atransverse shoulder 4 dijsposablebetvveerr-saidilugg when the; parts are"in said;interfit ting arrangement, a. clamping yoke of U-shapedcontourcarried by'sai'd Jugs, said yoke being provided with a 1, pair ofgenerally parallel legs "each having, n ear jitsIfiXflrernity avideJsufii's. .pi vot 1 on e onwit a beanie-111e,; t etiPend-ofeach-said"'leg;havin cam portion enr, gageable ,witl saidtr'ansver shoulder whereby rotationof said'cams' by" pivotal movement f;said yoke presses the two. ,said ,members 'into end to place the portionbexonditlie; offset within and between saidjjlugs and fonthe goinpositeside 7.

of, d .pir al'fc nnectio from said. can porreinforcing s means;consisting; oi, an). additional tal imember lapp d zr'eiationship :with.a 1 lateral race. thereoi,;such'lmetaltmember, consisting ;of,b.revers'elyi,bent. ;DQ1'tibn of. the gouter end shofothe leg, 7

4. Ahoseconnector comprisingamaimoicomplementany, coupling membersaeach-1such-mentv ber having an-:5 axial? bore-, said members being. aapt d o be p a iminterfittinearrangement;5 lil -Said Yinterfittingarrangement,,a-clampingggkefiQ PSO that. their re pgetiit boreaiare wa ined-irtfiuid transmitting relatien, ape-e aidgmember haw" posablbetweengsaidt higg "so that theiirgrespective-bores are aligned in-fluidr transmittin'gfj relationship" one -said'i member of opposedilugs'theother; t iensterseishoulders dis-.1

h he-martszare in; clampin :yokev:

of U-shaped contour carried by said lugs, said yoke being provided witha pair of generally parallel legs each having, near its extremity, apivw otal connection with a respective lug, the tip end of each said leghaving a cam portion engageable with said transverse shoulder wherebyrotation of said cams by pivotal movement of said yoke presses the twosaid members into mutually tight fitting engagement, each said legmember having an inward offset near its free end to place the portionbeyond the offset within and between said lugs, and on the opposite sideof said pivotal connection from said cam portions, said clamping yokebeing formed of spring metal of springlike characteristics, the leg endsbeing biased outwardly to normally maintain the said pivotalrelationship with the lugs.

LUCY A. LAMB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 19 Number Name Date 228,196 Hill June 1, 18801,519,097 Kraft Dec. 9, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS 16 Number Country Date848,738 France July 3, 1939

